feast news

The details of the registration were published yesterday in the European Union Journal.

As long as no other European Union member state objects before Oct 4, Melton Mowbray pork pies will join 34 other British products to be protected under the scheme.These include Arbroath smokies, Cornish clotted cream, Welsh lamb and Scottish farmed salmon.

The victory marks the end of a 10-year battle started by the Melton Mowbray Pork Pie Association.

The association was formed by a small group of authentic pie makers to preserve the art of making a Melton Mowbray pork pie and stop growing numbers of producers using the name to increase profits. The association's chairman and Melton Mowbray councillor, Matthew O'Callaghan, said that over the past decade thousands of people had signed a petition and sent letters of support.

"The award of PGI for Melton Mowbray pork pies safeguards our regional food heritage, protects our local jobs and gives the consumer value for money," he said.

"Fundamentally, it stops people using the name and reputation of Melton Mowbray for commercial gain alone and ensures that the market is not devalued.This is not about creating artificial barriers or preventing competitiveness within domestic markets.

"In fact it's the opposite; it's about encouraging investment in local economies as well as protecting the consumer.I don't think it unreasonable to ask companies to label their products honestly so that a product's level of quality, recipe and origin are guaranteed for consumers.

"I hope that this move encourages other regional producers to seek the recognition they deserve for their distinctive products.This is good news for all regional foods in Britain. They now have a bright future ahead of them."

The producers of several other fine British foods have already received the recognition while others are applying for the award. Stilton, Single Gloucester, Dovedale and Swaledale cheeses are all stamped, as is West Country Farmhouse Cheddar. The latter is handmade on farms in Somerset, Dorset, Devon and Cornwall and include some of the finest cheeses in the world.

Staffordshire cheese gained the status last year. Cumberland and Lincolnshire sausages are in the process of applying.

Source Richard Alleyne, The Daily Telegraph